Terminal protector for electrolytic condensers and rectifiers



I. COULSON AND C PROTECTOR FOR ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSERS AND RECTIFIERS.

ROTTMANN.

TERMINAL APPLICATION FILED MAR. I3.'I9I8- RENEWED MAY 15, 1922. 1,438,636.

a, Z922 4 Z m 54% R011 Em m J mww Patented Dec. 12, 1922..

- WITNESiEJS/WWI Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES 1,438,636 PATENT OFFICE JOHN COULSON, OF WILKINSBURG, AND CLARENCE J. ROTTMANN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE. ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING 7 COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

. TERMINAL PROTECTOR FOR ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSERS AND RECTIFIERS. 7

Application filed march 13, 1918, Serial No. 222,187.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JoI-IN COULSO-N, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident off Wilkinsbur in the county 0 Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, and 'CLAnnNon J. RO'FIMANN, a citizen of. the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Terminal Protectors for Electrolytic'Condensers and Rectifiers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved form of terminal for electrolytic condensers, lightning arresters, rectifiers and the like, in which the electric current enters and leavesan electrolytic bath by means of metallic terminals.

It is commonly knownthat the terminals in such pieces of apparatus become corroded, during use, at the point where they protrude from the electrolyte into the air or other gases above the electrolyte. The rate of this corrosion varies somewhat with various electrolytes, their chemical composition and their concentration. In time, the corrosion reaches such a depth as to so weaken themetal' of the electrode terminal that the electrode breaks oif from its own weight or from jars or vibrations to which it may be subjected. Some electrolytes, which are satisfactory from their electrical behavior, are not applicable to commercial use on account of this rapid deterioration of their terminals. Other electrolytes, which are satisfactory as first supplied, in a short time become so concentrated by evaporation that they attack and corrode the terminals.

Furthermore, this corrosion or incrustation of the terminals, particularly in electrolytic. condensers, is a source of a serious current leakage and, consequently, of a material watt loss.

Ne have discovered that this corrosionof the terminals at the juncture of the electrolyte and supernatent gas, and all salt formation upon. the terminals at this point, together with the usual current leakage caused by this corrosion, are eliminated if the terminals are maintained in an atmosphere saturated with water vapor. The primary object of our present invention, resides, therefore, in the provision of a simple and eifective means for maintaining an Renewed ma 15, 1922'. serial No. 561,167.

, upon the terminal.

In order to insure a clear understanding of our invention, we have disclosed 1t 1n connection with an electrolytic condenser.

including a jar or container 10, which may be of glass and the plate electrodes 11 of metal, as for instance, aluminum. The electrodes have the usual terminals 12 whichmay be formed integrally with the plates and be so disposed as to project above the surface oflthe liquid electrolyte 13.

Our invention consists in mounting a sleeve-14 about each of the terminals 12. the lower end of the sleeve being open and disposed at an appreciable distance below the surface of the electrolyte and the upper end being closed, as indicatediat 15, by wax or other suitable material which also forms a means for securing the sleeve to the termin3].- p

These sleeves may be formed of any suitable nonconducting material which will not be affected by moisture orby'the electrolyte and which will not affect the electrolyte.

Glass is very satisfactory for this purpose,

The sealing material 15 maybe any suitable sealing wax, gum or rubber, all of these materials having been used with success.

The space within the tube or sleeve, above the surface of the electrolyte, becomes saturated with water vapor and may contain some of the gases given off during the operation of the condenser. Because of the presence of the saturated atmosphere in the tubes 14, no corrosion of the electrode terminals will occur where they pass from the electrolyte and no deposits of crystallized salts will be formed thereon. The life of the condenser is thereby materially increased and one source of current leakage is eliminated.

lVe have found. from actual practice. that these protector sleeves constitute a satisfactory and practical means of protecting the electrodeterminals, extended testsof electrolytic -eo'ndensers, over periods of several months ,;having been made with no slgns of 5;;c rrosion of the'terminals.

It will, of course,,be appreciated that We 'do not wish to restrict our invention to the terminals of electrolytic condensers, as it is applicable to all apparatus having terminals, or parts of electrodes, which pass from an air ora gas medium intoa liquid electrolyte. We therefore reserve the right to apply our invention to all processesto which itmay be adaptedand to make any changes -Which wenjay' desire and which may be within the scope of the claims,

We claim as our invention:

1. In electrical apparatus, a terminal projectingabove the surface of an electrolyte and means for maintaining a water-satu-- rated atmosphere about the terminal immediatelyabove such surface, said means' including a sleeve closed at one end. 2. In electrical apparatus a terminal projecting above the surface of an electrolyte and a sleeve disposed with an open end helow-the surface of the electrolyte and having. its other end, through which the terminal passes, closed. U 3. In electrical apparatus a terminal rojecting above the surface of an electro ytc,

and a sleeve surrounding a portion of the terminal and spaced therefrom, one end of the electrolyte, v

nals providing chambers about the portions neaaeac' sleeve being sealed about the terminal and the opposite'end being disposedbelow the surface of the electrolyte.

4. In electrical apparatus an electrode having a terminal, a sleeve portion of the terminal and spaced therefrom, and connecting means between one end of the sleeve and the terminal whereby such end of the sleeve is closed and the sleeve 7 of the terminals immediately above the surface of the electrolyte, with the lower portions of the chambers projecting and opening into the electrolyte.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto through the surface of surrounding a 7,

subscribed our names-this 28th day of Febi,

1918. 4 JOHN COULSON.

CLARENCE, J. ROTTMANN. 

